


Some Things Are Inevitable

by meroune



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, i just really wanted itachi to become hokage at one point, ill explain everything, slow built, story told in snapshots, this is an au where the uchiha were never destroyed becuase of reasons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-04-25 23:21:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4980595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meroune/pseuds/meroune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>// Sasuke couldn’t help but laugh seeing Naruto pull that face – his fingers hooked on the edges of his mouth stretching his face comically, sticking his tongue out and still clearly grinning like a fool. The laugh was brisk and clipped, and contained only the barest hint of an upturned lip; it may not be much in comparison to the near barking laugh Naruto gave in response, but it was very typical of an Uchiha and satisfied Naruto immensely. // </p><p>AU where Tsunade became Hokage after Minato died, where Kakashi adopted Naruto from the beginning, and the Uchiha were not desolated. Where Naruto just generally had a less terrible and depressing start. Everything is just generally the same and very different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Small Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic Ive ever written, and its pretty shamefully Naruto. I'm sorry for my sins. ✌✌✌
> 
> Any criticism is very eagerly welcomed.
> 
> chapters may get longer or will just end up being posted frequently. We just don't know.

**_//This is not the beginning, and there is nothing extraordinary about it, but it is a gentle memory in a sea of torrid ones.//_ **

Sasuke couldn’t help but laugh seeing Naruto pull that face – his fingers hooked on the edges of his mouth stretching his face comically, sticking his tongue out and still clearly grinning like a fool. The laugh was brisk and clipped, and contained only the barest hint of an upturned lip; it may not be much in comparison to the near barking laugh Naruto gave in response, but it was very typical of an Uchiha and satisfied Naruto immensely. 

These academy days were the brightest, when Naruto would trail after Sasuke on his way home, they would dutifully stop by the Senbei shop and, quite typically, Naruto would wolf down more than Sasuke was sure any normal child should. Together they would train on the Uchiha land, near Sasuke’s own home, and every once in awhile they would simply relax there. One of those times was now, when the sun blazed strikingly hot above the field they occupied, leaving an easy gleam of sweat on both children even without any strenuous activity. They were both 11 now, and sometimes the weight of not having graduated yet settled into the back of his mind, gnawing at him and reminding him that Itachi had already been a chunin at this same age. These kinds of thoughts weighed on his mind, though not now, not in this sunny field relaxing under a tree with Naruto would they come to him. 

“Ne- Sasuke, you laughed just now, didn’t you?” Naruto grinned, his elbows propped on his knees and leaning his head in his hands. He cataloged every laugh and every smile (however slight) of Sasuke’s as an achievement.

Sasuke didn’t rebuke at first, languidly leaning back against the tree and smirking in Naruto’s direction. “Dobe… how could I not when you have a face like that?”

“Teme! You’re one to talk!” Naruto bit out in retaliation, but the words had no real weight to them and were said with a smile. The insults and banter came easily to them, a natural conversation held between the two.

Sasuke deigned not to reply, turned to look away from Naruto, and the edges of his smirk softened. Naruto similarly relaxed, the silence comfortable between them with neither seeing a reason to break it. After a while Sasuke couldn’t help but to glance back in Naruto’s direction, seeing the familiar golden tousled boy seemingly nodding off. Typical. Still – these kinds of easy days were the ones Sasuke came to appreciate the most, when he could distract himself from the heavy weight of Uchiha. Naruto was the natural distraction, and Sasuke’s placebo of choice from an early age. 

He closed his eyes gently, and easily slipped into reflection on the earlier years of his life. He remembers growing up tied to Naruto – perhaps not too closely but he has memories stored with frayed edges of times he was forced to visit the Uzumaki with his mother… He had never understood back then. Why he had to go with her, why his mother always gently urged him towards the loudmouthed troublemaker. In hindsight Sasuke knew why the adoptive Hatake was strangely important to his mother, tied into a life she led before he’d ever lived. Sasuke recalled the name of Naruto’s mother, Kushina, a woman he’d heard many a tale of from his mother. He could see the resemblance between this storied woman and her son easily, and his own mother confirmed this resemblance.  
According to her Naruto took all of Kushina’s fiery personality and took his looks from his father, the Yondaime. Quite honestly beyond that, Sasuke knew little of Naruto’s parents and had reasonable suspicion that Naruto knew little to nothing more than he did. 

Sasuke came out of this reverie when he noticed a familiar presence, and looked up to see Itachi looking down at him with the kind of soft smile Sasuke attributed to his brother. Sasuke clicked his tongue, mostly annoyed that his brother was still able to sneak up on him so easily. Itachi may be an Anbu captain but it embittered Sasuke endlessly. At least he was better than Naruto, who had simply dozed off. 

“It’s about time you returned home for dinner, little brother.” Itachi spoke warmly, clearly enthused to find Naruto and Sasuke like this as he often did. He was grateful that Sasuke had someone he could really trust, no matter what rivalry they had. 

“Hn.” Is all Sasuke would offer his older brother, tugging (not so) gently on Naruto’s arm. The bond jolted awake, eyes darting around before settling his eyes on Itachi. 

“Ah! Itachi-nii! Did I fall asleep, hehe? It was pretty relaxing out here… It’s just like when I hang out with Shikamaru.” He laughed, thinking of his very lazy friend and grinning sheepishly up at Itachi, rubbing the back of his head. 

The older Uchiha said nothing in response to this, choosing to change the subject slightly. “Hm.. Hatake is still away on a mission, so would you like to join us for dinner, Naruto-kun?” The offer was not unusual, it was fairly standard when the jonin caretaker of Naruto was on missions, which was quite often. 

Naruto looked up to Sasuke’s brother, finding him rather scary and imposing but just as equally kind and peace loving under the surface. Itachi was a rare breed of shinobi. And Naruto was grateful to be welcomed into the Uchiha home, every by the brother’s terrifying father Fugaku. The Uchiha clan head seemed to be indifferent to Naruto for the most part, and that was good enough for the blond. Their mother was very kind, welcoming him as the child of her departed best friend. Naruto never had any reason to turn down Itachi’s invitations. 

“Haha, thanks! I’ll join you, then!” He grinned, both him and Sasuke standing up and brushing off their clothes. The sun was dutifully beginning to set as the three of them took an easy pace back to the estate. It was these kind of easy summer days, when they were still kids, really kids, in the academy that he would remember in the years that quickly became darker. 


	2. Let's Go Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote most of this the two days after I posted the first chapter and then I was too busy (and lazy) to finish the rest. I hope its fine??

**//A rewind, then.//**

Kakashi held the baby helplessly in his arms, gently and yet firm, unprepared in how to do such things. Unprepared for a lot of coming things. The house was dark,and just as empty as he had always left it. He would have to change that now, he would have to change everything. A single candle lit the kitchen he stood in, casting a dim light on both the jonin and the child in his arms. He wasn’t sure where to begin, but he knew he was doing the right thing. What he had to. For his sensei, for the Yondaime, for Minato, and for Naruto. For Naruto. And then suddenly out of all the things he had been through, this felt like the scariest.

//

It took awhile, but Kakashi settled into taking care of Naruto. He was off duty for awhile, while growing adjusted but it wouldn’t be for long. He assumed the Godaime would properly arrange things, she seemed intent on taking care of Naruto at least. Kakashi was only 15, and had been entrusted with the Yondaime’s child. The jinjuriki. He could have turned down the responsibility of Naruto, but he didn’t. So he figured it out. 

He’d started with cleaning the house, and properly furnishing it. Preparing a room for Naruto, obviously was a necessity. And one for himself too, considering he’d be in the house much more often now. He’d planned on moving into a much smaller apartment, but now he didn’t see the need. His dusty home on Hatake clan land would suffice. And it fixed up pretty nice too, reminding him of how it looked when he was younger. Not much time had passed since then, perhaps, but it felt like decades ago and had practically looked like it too. 

Kakashi didn’t have much to go on in terms of preassembled knowledge of childcare. It wasn’t something he saw himself doing in the future, perhaps ever. Before Jiraiya had left again, when he had left Konoha in Tsunade’s hands, he had given Kakashi some pointers, mostly basic but the Hatake wasn’t sure how much he trusted the advice of the Sannin, and quickly cracked open books on his own. If he was going to raise Naruto right, he was going to do the best he could. For the most part. He caught on quickly, and came to sympathize with every parent in the world. 

When the time came for Kakashi to resume active duty, the time between felt like both the quickest and slowest passing of time he’d ever experienced. 

//

Naruto had a turbulent childhood, full of missing holes and missing people. Kakashi only leaves the village when he must, not wanting to leave Naruto in the care of other anbu members, assigned by the Godaime (and often, his own ninken. Just to be sure.) When Naruto is three, the Hokage sends 14 year old Iruka Umino to assist Kakashi as a personal job.

//

And so Naruto is never alone in the Hatake house. Between the eight ninken of Kakashi’s, whenever they aren’t summoned by him, Naruto is graciously watched over by them. He always has been. And then he has Iruka, who came to live in the Hatake home as well. Not like he had a better home to go to, and here he was needed. By Kakashi, who gratefully accepted the help, and by Naruto, who quickly latched onto him. To Naruto, he easily became an older brother figure, and Iruka could hardly resist. He easily grew out of his bitterness towards Naruto, being forced to interact with the baby initially was like ripping a band aid off. And maybe that was what the Godaime had intended from the beginning.

//

Between the two shinobi, Naruto is generally never home without one or the other. The very gentle and big-hearted Iruka easily settles into taking care of Naruto, much better than Kakashi had done. And after the past embittered years, goofing off to cover the still fresh scars of growing up without his parents, the Hatake home was a much easier existence.

//

When Naruto is five, Kakashi holds Naruto in his arms and cannot help but be brought back to that first night, holding that graciously calm baby in his arms. Five years passed quickly, more quickly than he had expected. And Naruto had certainly grown out of that gentle child phase, and into a raging ball of energy. Here in Kakashi’s arms, Naruto grins cheekily, pulling down Kakashi’s mask and moving his ungraceful, tiny hands over Kakashi’s scarred eye. When he asks for conceivably the hundredth time, why Kakashi covers the eye, the jonin tousles the blonds hair and reminds him that Mikoto and Sasuke were coming over.

//

The ties between Iruka and Kakashi seemed faint at times, but held together effortlessly by Naruto. It is a rare moment, when both of them are home, and there is nothing to be done, that they would sit together and let the time stretch. The silence between them at these moments was not at all uneasy, and was a conversation in its own right. 

// 

At Naruto's 7th birthday party, it feels like everyone is there. The blond is the striking image of pure unadulterated radiant sunshine, and happily blows his candles out with a less than gentle breath. He has not known heavy hardships quite yet, and is still a very pure child. He is happy. Even Sasuke begrudgingly sings happy birthday to Naruto, who fervently blows out the candles on his cake almost before the song is over. Tsunade shows up for as long as she can, wishing Naruto happy birthday before she has to return to work. She pats him on the head, takes off the crystal necklace she has always kept close to her, and leans over clasping it around his neck. Naruto is exuberant and grins ridiculously huge at her, thanking her honestly. She scoffs and waves it off, asking like its nothing and says she has to return to work. He waves at her as she leaves, and when he turns away from her, she lets a smile linger on his back. 

Iruka and Kakashi and but everything into making Naruto's cake, letting Naruto help when he begged enough times. The three of them don't gather in the kitchen very often, but when they do it is a veritable mess. Iruka can't help but laugh, taking a cloth in one hand and Naruto's face in the other. He wipes the cake better off of the blond's nose, and tells him to be a bit more careful. He certainly isn't, and even Kakashi is a bit of a mess. He'd developed average cooking skills, but his baking was still sub par. When it was done and ready for the actual party, Naruto couldn't say he'd tasted anything better in his life. Except _maybe_ the ramen at Ichiraku. 

//

Mikoto would casually visit the Hatake home very often, encouraging Naruto and Sasuke to interact from the very beginning. Mikoto thinks of Kushina, the friend she lost, and vows to watch over her son as best she can. She does it for Kushina, who deserved to be here with her but wasn’t. She could not always be there for Naruto, but she would not ever turn him away. 

They become friends at a time when Sasuke is much softer, and smiles much more easily. He is a sweet child, who will quickly be embittered by standing in his brother's shadow, by his clan and his village. When they are older they become like oil and water, but with an underlying bond that can not be denied. There are more arguments, more punches and more kicks but they will always drift back together. They will fight but it will never be the end, never for forever. They will always circle back to each other, no matter how long it takes.

//

Sometimes Naruto will run with Shikamaru, Kiba and Chouji, and they are easily the ones who get in the most trouble at the academy. They are a rambunctious crew of kids from the beginning, easily falling in with each other. More than the others though, Naruto enjoys the company of Shikamaru. Naruto often finds himself with the Nara, staring up at the clouds. This kind of silent relaxation suits the intellectual very well, and as fidgety and impatient as Naruto can get, he finds himself enjoying these quiet times quite a bit. Shikamaru always seems to know what to do, or what to say. He's practically the opposite of the jinjuriki boy but they fit together easily. 

Naruto notices Sasuke's eyes on him sometimes, when he's slacking off with the others. At first he thinks the look in the Uchiha's dark eyes is disapproval, but Naruto thinks he can distinguish it properly now. It's a certain kind of envy, that Naruto cannot keep himself from asking about one day when walking home with Sasuke. The raven haired boy scowls, and stubbornly looks away from Naruto. When he mutters something about _Naruto looking like he's having fun being an idiot all the time,_ Naruto catches it and doesn't miss a beat. "You mean more than that to me, teme." Sometimes, Naruto is more perceptive than even he knows; and with that, Sasuke is sasitfied.


	3. Lol

I'm never going to update this, I'm sorry god I tried

Here's the stuff I never posted it wasn't supposed to be chapter 3 but hey :3c

 

"Naruto, I have to leave. And you have to let me." The words hung heavy in the air, leaving Naruto to stand rigid, taken by surprise by the sudden admission from the Uchiha. Sasuke’s leaving? leaving the village? Going where, with who, and why? The questions pile up and he can’t answer a single one of them. So he asks, because he has to know, even if his words are fumbled and maybe sound more accusatory than he meant them too. He’s confused. He’s hurt. 

“What are you talking about? You can’t just… why would you..! I sure as hell don’t have to do anything, not unless you tell me why!” He words are cross and the last why came out much more pleading than he intended. 

Sasuke does not react noticeably, but if Sasuke had not hid his face from him, the blond would likely be able to see the conflicting emotions written there across the scope of Sasuke’s features. He tenses up, expecting this question. He knows he could refuse, he doesn't owe Naruto an answer. But he does, really, and he thinks that Naruto deserves at least this much so he surrenders to his friend, his best friend, his only friend and he speaks. 

"Because this is the path I have to take. I have to be stronger. You're leaving, Naruto, and I have to too. Because Itachi had always been so much higher than me, in some unreachable league of strength. He will easily become the next hokage, and I believe in him. I don't... hate him. And I know he deserves everything he has. But I have to prove that I can stand next to him. As an equal. And I can't do that here in Konoha."

"Sasuke! This is ridiculous, you're not just leaving the village, but to trapeze of with that creepy bastard...! Did you think I would just let you go? You don't have to leave, there's always-"

Sasuke cut him off fluidly. "There isn't always another way, Naruto. Those are hopeless, helpless words. Some things are just inevitable." His looked the other boy straight in the eye, holding them both in place. 

Naruto is struck by the finality of those words, and is unsure of how to respond. For a boy so wide mouthed this is one of those moments where he suddenly cannot fathom a thought. And it is with a trembling hand that he reaches out, grasping sasuke by the wrist. This was his friend, his best friend, and this was something serious. 

"...Just. Just promise me Sasuke. Promise me that you will come back. You have to come back." His mouth was dry and the words cracked. Damn him. Damn Sasuke for doing this.  
Sasuke is silent for awhile, almost predictably so and Naruto can do nothing but wait. His grip around Sasuke's wrist tightens ever so slightly and almost seemingly with that as a cue, Sasuke speaks up.

"I'll be back. It won't be forever." The reply is short and crisp,much more characteristic than the wordy emotional explanation he gave Naruto only minutes before. 

And he nods, Naruto nods and swallows dryly, not releasing his grip on Sasuke. "Good. You'd better come back. If you don't, I'll come get you, yknow? Not just me. Sakura-chan. Itachi-nii. We will come get you."

It is at this moment Sasuke smiles, it is tight and anxious but not quite forced, as he shakes Naruto grip off of his wrist. "It's a promise then," he says, and he is gone.

He is gone, and all Naruto can think now is that he has no idea what he is going to tell Itachi.

// 

It is nearly a year later when they first cross paths again. There is recognition, and then shock in the unimportant, random village in the Land of Fire. Naruto isn't sure how to react, simply staring at Sasuke. The other didn't seem sure how to react either, seeming torn between leaving and...

Naruto moves first, pushing through the crowd and grasping Sasuke's wrist without any protest. Naruto's mouth moved but no sound came out, and his face scrunches into an indeterminable emotion before he tightly wrapped his arm around the Uchiha in a sort of half hug. Neither of them speak, and it feels that they have entered a space occupied by only the two of them.  
"It's alright," Naruto practically breathes into the others ear, and they separate.


End file.
